 Singapore Expert - Larry Foley |
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| Larry Foley has been involved in the Singapore racing industry for 16 years as both as a racing administrator and award winning journalist. Larry is also a regular member of the Singapore Turf Club’s Broadcasting team and has also featured on Tellytrack in South Africa. His form comments on Singapore racing can be found in many countries and in The New Paper, Singapore’s premier racing newspaper. | |
Expert Column for Singapore Gold Cup Day (S2) (Larry Foley)
S2-1 Class 4 Handicap
A solid if unspectacular Class 4 field will head to the 1,200m start and with nothing jumping off the page to win, a class dropper in I’VE GOT A FEELING could be a nice each-way option for punters. The 4YO has had an interesting career thus far with some good early wins giving connections the confidence to have a crack at Group level both as a two and three-year-old. And while he didn’t live up to those expectations, his run at SIN G1 Singapore Guineas was solid and he showed enough last start to follow in this company.
The race should be honestly run with WONDERFUL KNIGHT likely to give a sight from the wide gate and his effort last start to have everything well and truly covered bar the nice winner is more than up to this.
Of the others with winning hopes, LIM’S BLAST backed up his maiden win with an eye-catching late run in similar company last time out and he will be motoring late with Glen Boss onboard, while a couple of last start winners in FIRST LIGHT and to a lesser extent, FLASH ONE, have to be respected.
A newcomer from Australia in BAFFERT is the wildcard and while only winning once from some eight-career starts ‘Down Under’, he looks honest, has trialled well locally and gets the services of Karis Teetan.
SELECTIONS: 1. I'VE GOT A FEELING, 2. WONDERFUL KNIGHT, 7. LIM'S BLAST, 5. BAFFERT & 9. FIRST LIGHT
S2-2 The Hong Kong Jockey Club Trophy
Trainer H W Tan looks to have a more than handy type in SUPER FORTUNE on his hands and the Australian-bred 4YO looks extremely well-placed to continue on his winning ways. The MOSSMAN gelding did look to pick up a couple of soft wins at his first two starts in Singapore before finding a couple of horses better when being sent out as favourite at start three. But he bounced straight back into the winners circle at start four and that win was impressive enough to think he is more than up to this company on 111lbs with a nice recent trial a pointer to his chances.
Also in his favour is the fact that his main dangers - FAALTLESS and WIMBLEDON - both carry 128lbs at the race conditions and while the pair look in good enough form and have the runs on the board at this level, the weight difference should be telling.
And given the likes of DISTINCTIVE DARCI and SPEEDY DRAGON both look better prospects on the polytrack, ELUSIVE EMPEROR might also be worth thought in exotics with just 108lbs to carry.
SELECTIONS: 9. SUPER FORTUNE, 1. FAALTLESS, 2. WIMBLEDON, 10. ELUSIVE EMPEROR & 6. SPEEDY DRAGON
S2-3 Novice
At the Novice race conditions, it always pays to have a look for any promising youngsters who get an excellent pull in the weights.
As such, the 3YO’s appeal including FEROCIOUS who resumes after placing in the SIN G3 Juvenile Championship over 1,400m back in July. The son of SEBRING was also well supported in the SIN G2 Golden Horseshoe after his impressive debut win but he was unplaced in the race when he returned a roarer. A quiet trial suggests he has returned in good order and he should be hard to hold out with best work expected late.
As a 4YO with one win to her name, GOLD CITY has to carry 125lbs but her debut effort when going away in solid maiden company was impressive and she will keep the youngsters very honest late.
The now 3YO filly, BRINGER OF WAR, also came through the SIN G2 Golden Horseshoe where she placed behind BE BEE and that form will more than hold up in Novice company. She also gets the services of the in-form Karis Teetan and she will have admirers on the back of a solid first up run with just 113lbs to carry in this.
Two debutantes in KING LOUIS (who previously raced in Australia) and DRAGONITE have both impressed at the trials and must be respected while EASY DOES IT is also in the winning mix.
SELECTIONS: 11. FEROCIOUS, 4. GOLD CITY, 13. BRINGER OF WAR, 12. KING LOUIS & 7. DRAGONITE
DOUBLE TRIO SELECTIONS (36 unit bets):
S2-3: Banker – 11. FEROCIOUS
Selections – 4. GOLD CITY, 13. BRINGER OF WAR, 12. KING LOUIS & 7. DRAGONITE
S2-4: Banker – 9. WEBSTER
Selections – 7. DRACO, 1. ANONYMOUS, 2. CHALAZA & 3. MAGIC CITY
S2-4 Class 3 Handicap
The Class 3 sprints normally throw up a competitive affair but the depth of this field is exceptional. In fact you could make a serious winning case for at least eight of the runners so there is sure to be value about if we can find the winner and exotics will also pay well.
WEBSTER is one that wins without surprising and we are happy to put a line through his last start failure on the polytrack as he has subsequently trialled strongly and is unbeaten at two turf runs.
DRACO is another progressive type who put in a very eye-catching run last start and while he has drawn wide again, the experienced Jeff Lloyd will give him every opportunity.
ANONYMOUS heads the ratings but a clever 4lbs claim has him under notice with 122lbs from gate 2 after an eye-catching effort last start, while CHALAZA also had excuses last time out and may even start favourite in this field.
Two last start winners in MAGIC CITY resuming and GRAN TORINO are also sure to have admirers and it will pay to go even wider in exotics with the likes of BRAHMA CIRCUS and CLASSIFIED also in the mix.
SELECTIONS: 9. WEBSTER, 7. DRACO, 1. ANONYMOUS, 2. CHALAZA & 3. MAGIC CITY
S2-5 Singapore Gold Cup
An extremely tough SIN G1 Singapore Gold Cup for the pundits with more than half the field coming off poor runs from either the weight-for-age SIN G1 Raffles Cup or the handicapped SIN G3 El Dorado Classic. Obviously some of the well-beaten brigade from the Raffles Cup will get some weight relief at the handicap conditions of this race but the likes of last year’s winner, BAHANA and his stablemate NEWLANDS, will have to improve lengths. Conversely, the horses that shone in the Raffles Cup have to carry weights that have stopped some good horses in the past in the Singapore Gold Cup, but ELITE EXCALIBUR who carries 122lbs looks ready to win and GILT COMPLEX must be respected with just 3lbs more.
No top-weight has won this race since SMART BET in 2002 and while INFANTRY looks fairly weighted with 127lbs, the SIN G1 Kranji Mile winner did miss the Raffles Cup through injury and that could be costly stepping up to 2,200m.
So the El Dorado Classic may again be the best guide with the last four winners of the SIN G1 coming through the race.
BAHANA (2016) and QUECHUA (2014) both won the El Dorado Classic while TROPAIOS (2013) and COOPTADO (2015) ran in the top four but more importantly, all four horses got into the Singapore Gold Cup field with a very light weight.
So it would almost be remiss not to have this year’s El Dorado Classic winner, SECRET WIN, as the on-top selection given he was both superb in coming from last to win the Classic and he carries the minimum in this race – that’s two big boxes ticked.
From the same race, BLUE SWEDE - who finished third in this race last year - showed he knows how to peak at the right time while an out-and-out stayer in SONG TO THE MOON did enough to think he will have something up his sleeve at the business end with just 110lbs to carry.
PERFECT P also put in a very good effort doing the hard yards on the pace in the El Dorado Classic and given he had to carry top-weight on that occasion, he could look the winner at some stage with 7lbs less to carry.
SELECTIONS: 16. SECRET WIN, 3. ELITE EXCALIBUR, 5. PERFECT P, 14. SONG TO THE MOON & 2. GILT COMPLEX
TREBLE SELECTIONS (27 unit bets):
S2-5: Multiple – 16. SECRET WIN, 3. ELITE EXCALIBUR & 5. PERFECT P
S2-6: Multiple – 4. MR EXCHEQUER, 11. OPTIMUS & 3. STORM TROOPER
S2-7: Multiple – 1. LIM'S ROYAL, 5. CHOCOLATS & 10. MADE IN CHINA
S2-6 Class 4 Handicap
An extremely open Class 4 mile and once again you could make a serious winning case for more than half the capacity field including the emergency, MILLENNIUM’S RULE, who looks a solid each-way hope on the back of a good first up run with Karis Teetan to ride. And it’s worth noting the LONHRO gelding is trained by Stephen Gray, who has an outstanding winning strike rate on feature race days and the Kiwi will also saddle OPTIMUS who ran on well against the track bias last start and is right in this with another visiting hoop in William Pike to ride.
MR EXCHEQUER comes through a Guineas campaign and while unplaced in the that SIN G1 mile, his previous two wins were at this trip and he looks ready to show his best after two solid runs over 1,400m this campaign, including a third to the smart LIM’S MAGIC. From that same race we have to include HUMDINGER who ran on very well from a long way back to run second, while the likes of MASTER OF MALIBU and SACRED GALAXY also showed enough to consider here.
STORM TROOPER is another to keep safe after a huge run with excuses last start and the switch to a top senior jockey in Vlad Duric is a factor.
Of the rest, PENTAGON is not the type to win out of turn but does look due with blinkers off and a visor on, while last start maiden winner, THE ODDS, could very well go on with the job.
SELECTIONS: 4. MR EXCHEQUER, 11. OPTIMUS, 3. STORM TROOPER, 2. HUMDINGER & 8. MASTER OF MALIBU
S2-7 Class 4 Handicap
LIM’S ROYAL looks a very exciting type and he could be one of the better bets on what could have been a testing day for punters. The lightly-raced 4YO featured heavily in the Stewards report at his first two starts before getting his act together to knock in an impressive win at start three. A spell followed and after an eye-catching effort against the bias when resuming, he showed he is the real deal with a very strong win in Class 4 company over 1,200m. His maiden win was over 1,400m and given he likes to get back and run on strongly, the Long Course looks ideal as does the extra 200m.
They won’t miss him in the ring and those that want to look elsewhere for some value could consider both CHOCOLATS and MADE IN CHINA who both come off last start placings.
CHOCOLATS in particular would have benefitted from a solid Singapore debut where he made the running before being found out late. He will strip fitter for the run and with blinkers removed the 4YO should be ridden a tad quieter and he will figure late with Jeff Lloyd up.
MADE IN CHINA will enjoy gate 2 and will be prominent throughout and certainly showed enough to the wire last start to think he wins in this company sooner than later.
For exotics, include JUSTICE SMART who resumes after an eye-catching second-up run in July and SOUTHERN GLORY who is honest and did win his maiden over this trip.
SELECTIONS: 1. LIM'S ROYAL , 5. CHOCOLATS, 10. MADE IN CHINA, 6. JUSTICE SMART & 13. SOUTHERN GLORY
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